Alchemist, Variant (3.5e Class)
Alchemist Alchemists wield the power of tectonic plates shifting or dragons breathing to transmute the world into a state they prefer. Making a Alchemist Alchemists are fairly similar to wordmasters or word wizards, although they are a little bit more reliant on short-term planning. Their class features draw from the wordcasting and mana-based spellcasting rules, although they don't precisely follow either one. Abilities: Alchemists use two mental ability scores for their casting, and can do useful things with their physical ability scores sometimes, but don't bother with them too much. Races: Every sentient race that has been offered the power of Alchemy has had at least one member take it. Alignment: Any. Starting Gold: 4d4×10 gp (100 gp). Starting Age: Moderate, although some people have been known to become high-level Alchemists before adulthood. Class Features All of the following are class features of the Alchemist. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Alchemists are proficient with simple and martial weapons, and with light, medium, and heavy armor. They do not suffer from arcane spell failure. : The Alchemist's Alchemist level is equal to his level in the Alchemist class plus half his other levels. : Alchemists have one good save and two poor saves, chosen at first level. : Choose a mental ability score. The Alchemist's strain tolerance is equal to that ability score plus half his Alchemist level. Then choose a different mental ability: the Alchemist's Save DC's are equal to 10 + half character level + that ability modifier. : Fortitude save DC for attempting to transmute while fatigued is 20 + one-third the spell's "DC" + the amount of Strain he has over his Tolerance. : Unlike a normal mana-based caster, the Alchemist recovers from 1 point of strain per minute. : You cannot cast any spell through the use of Alchemy if its DC is greater than this value. "DC" is in quotes because you don't actually have to make any check in order to succeed. A spell you cast with a DC equal to that value has a strain cost of 9; for every two points the DC is lower than this value, the strain cost decreases by 1, to a minimum of 0. : You know this many concepts, drawn from the list of modifer, shape, and effect concepts below. : Alchemists cast spells by creating transmutation circles composed of several concepts, and then activating them. With a few exceptions, there is a 1:1 correlation between Alchemist concepts and Wordcasting words, and the DC's of words in that system are used here as a limit on maximum power. Unlike with Wordcasting, Alchemist transmutations always require a somatic component to activate the circle once it has been drawn, and never require verbal components. In addition, no Wordcasting check is necessary to successfully activate or draw a transmutation circle. Activating a drawn transmutation circle is a move action. Strain costs are spent when the circle is activated, not when the circle is drawn. : All Alchemists can draw temporary transmutation circles using the concepts they know. Drawing a temporary transmutation circle takes a variable amount of time dependent on how many concepts (including repeats) are used in it, and any temporary transmutation circle that is activated is immediately destroyed. : In addition, many Alchemists choose to create or use permanent transmutation circles that don't have to be redrawn repeatedly. A transmutation circle that is not destroyed when activated is worth 1 silver piece/concept (including repeat concepts), and has a Craft (Alchemy) DC of 15. : Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep from accidentally activating any circles if you have a lot of circles on your person. Every hour, the Alchemist must make a Dexterity check with a DC equal to the number of circles he can currently activate as a move action. If he fails the check, he activates a random circle targeting a random legal target. A natural 1 does not automatically fail for this check. : This shape makes the circle be the area of effect. Everything in the circle and up to 10' above it per 5' of radius when it is activated is affected. The "DC" of the circle is dependent on its radius: -2 for a 2 1/2' radius (1 square), +0 for a 5' radius, +1 for a 10' radius, +2 for a 20' radius, and +1 for every doubling in radius after that. This doubling is not subject to the odd D&D multiplication rule. : This effect heals objects and constructs for 1d8 hit points. This effect concept adds 1 to the "DC" of the transmutation circle. ---- Category:3.5e Category:User Category:Class Category:Base Class Category:Wordcasting